Northern Pride name new CEO

Finding the person you believe is the perfect fit for the role of CEO at any organisation is never easy, but the Northern Pride have appointed current interim CEO Brock Schaefer as their official Chief Executive Officer.

Schaefer, 26, who was the Pride’s Business Development Manager before all this, has signed a 2-year deal to the club’s CEO, with Schaefer excited about the opportunity in front of him.

â€œItâ€™s a rare privilege to have the chance to lead such a Club and I thank the Northern Pride Board for appointing me to the position,â€ he said.

â€œIt is a truly exciting time for this footy club as we sit atop the Intrust Super Cup ladder, experience record membership growth, and look forward to the continued evolution of our competition and status in the game as a direct result of changes occurring in our game at the national level.â€

His time as the Business Development Manager was a busy one, as he introduced, implemented and maintained many key facets of the football club off the field.

– The expansion of the Northern Pride Academy system, which will see more than 200 locals aged 12-20 with development and pathways direct to elite levels
– Assisting to make an NRL competition game a reality in Cairns
– The establishment of remote games (in Bamaga and Mount Isa)
– Community work through the clubâ€™s award-winning Take Pride Program
– Development and expansion of the Prideâ€™s game-leading live stream initiative
– Launch of the 2013 â€˜More than Prideâ€™ membership campaign.

â€œThe great successes of this Club are a reflection of the aspiration, commitment and passion of our players, our corporate partners, and our season members,â€ Mr Schaefer said.

â€œWe are the beneficiaries of a level of support both from the general public and from the corporate community that is the envy of clubs that play at a hour payday loans national level.

â€œThat means we have an obligation to ensure we are providing the best service, value and experience for all of those stakeholders.

â€œI look forward to spending the next few weeks and months speaking to as many of our supporters as possible, to ensure we continue to create an open and honest communication channel with those people who allow our Club to succeed.

â€œWe havenâ€™t been perfect in the past but we will strive to improve in every facet of our operations.â€

Bob Fowler, the club’s Chairman, said the Pride board were unanimous when making the decision, that Schaefer was the right fit for the job.

â€œIn his time with the Northern Pride, Brock has displayed a maturity beyond his years in handling administration and business management duties,â€ said Mr Fowler.

â€œThe Board are impressed by his views to transform and strengthen our organisation and look forward to supporting Brock, our staff and players to have our club recognised as the most professional and successful state league sporting club in Australia.â€

Coach Jason Demetriou is also excited at the move and has praised the appointment of Schaefer as CEO.

â€œThe football department, along with the players, are delighted at Brockâ€™s appointment as the new CEO,â€ said Demetriou.

â€œBrock is a very intelligent young man who, combined with his passion for the club, will drive our brand forward and engage with all our community partners to ensure we are at the heartbeat of the Cairns region.

â€œThe Northern Pride ethos is about providing opportunities for young local players, and Brock is committed to driving this forward.

â€œI am excited and looking forward to working with Brock to take the Northern Pride to another level that sees us recognised as the most professional club in the Intrust Super Cup, both on and off the field.â€